Help! Fiesta 1.6 Tdci Mk6.5 Not Cranking,intermittent.immobilizer.

[matt786]

Hi everyone,i have a Ford Fiesta Zetec 2007,1.6 tdci. I just got it back from my local garage after they replaced the front crank seal,timing belt,water pump,auxiliary belt,oil and oil filter. On collection they asked me whether i ever had any starting problems to which i replied no as car always started first time. They informed me that after they test drove the car it would not start again. However when i started the car to go home from the garage,it started as normal and thought nothing more of it.

The next time i tried to start the car from home it would not crank over. All dash light are up as normal. There is no noise from the starter or solenoid. After several attempts and experimenting i found the red led immobilizer lamp would flash rapidly as i tried to start the engine without success. After about a minute it would start to flash in stages but not rapid anymore if ignition left on. However i then realized, if i take the key out for a bit then reinsert and turn the key to position 1 for 10 seconds and then position 2,the red light would flash normally then go off and i am able to start the engine. WTF?. If i then kill the engine and try to start again normally ie,without waiting 10 seconds in key position 1, the engine wont start. I even tried to start normally with my spare blue key without remote fob but the same thing happens. So now every time i have to start my car i have to wait 10 seconds and pretend im pulling my socks up or something if i have a passenger with me.

Im guessing now but i think the mechanics might have inserted a wrong Ford key in my car to start it and it has erased something or they might have disconnected the battery that may have led to other issues. Im a bit weary of re-coding my keys as i might lose the total initial settings aswell and then i will have pay the stealerships loads to get it reprogrammed. I was actually looking forward to having some carefree motoring days after having the jobs done on the car at the garage but alas it wasn't to be. So please if any of you can shed some light on this for a fix i will be eternally grateful.

Thank you.

[jeebowhite]

Sounds like the chip isnt being read properly from the key... have you tried the spare key

[matt786]

Thanks for reading about my issue on the car. Yes iv tried the spare key. Its not got the remote fob on it and has a blue mark.. It does the same thing as the main key with the fob. The spare key and fob key definitely started the car before.

[jeebowhite]

Ok take the spare key put it in the ignition, then hold the fob key right up against the barrel then turn.

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[matt786]

Tried your suggestion but no luck. Its still the same. Its now getting even harder to start the engine even with the key in position 1 in the ignition for 10 seconds method. It sometimes starts after several attempts.

If i leave the key in the ignition at position 2 the red immobilizer light stops flashing rapidly after about a minute. It then flashes once then a pause then flash flash flash one after the other then pause again and repeats the sequence. I wonder what its telling me.

[Stoney871]

Sounds like a PATS fault.

Get the transponder ring around the ignition barrel checked first as this is what reads the immobiliser chip in the keys.

[Stoney871]

http://www.fordwiki.co.uk/index.php/PATS_Immobiliser_Fault_Codes

[matt786]

Can i check the transponder ring myself. What am i looking for. Or should i take car to an car electrician. Thanks for the link by the way. It seems i have a code 13. Think il have a google search to see how one goes about it. Thanks

[Stoney871]

A proper diagnostic would be best.

Aye, code 13 would point to a car fault rather than the keys.

Seeing that it's happening with both keys I'd say transponder ring at least but may be electrical connections somewhere have become intermittent.

[matt786]

Ok,will get it checked out tomorrow and let you know.

[Stoney871]

Make sure you take both car keys with you in case the system needs a recode.

[matt786]

Thanks for reminding me. I would have probably left on the shelf. Attached it to the keyring now along with the other.

[matt786]

Hi again,took the car back to mechanics and he suggested a replacement ignition key transponder/transceiver/reader from the breakers.He also said i don't have to reprogramme my keys. Gna give it a go myself,huh. In the meantime i wanted to ask you guys will disconnecting the earth on the battery for 15 mins reset the immobiliser. I read people recommend this anyway at change of season,cat change or oil change as it resets the ecu to your current climate and driving habits as its relying on old stored info. I guess there's different procedures for different cars. Does anyone know what is the correct procedure for my car and will it cause any other issues if i use it. I really want to do this in case it solves my immobiliser issue but its just a hunch. Truth is i really don't know much about electronics side of cars even though i passed an o-level in electronics way back in high school. I have also read to just taking out all 3 amp fuses for 5 minutes and then ignition on for 1 and a half minutes to reset KAM. I just need one solid correct procedure for my car which has done 66000 miles so far. Also is it possible to re-sync my existing keys in the hope to solve this key reading problem by the transponder so that i don't have to replace it. What;s the correct way for my particular car. If all this fails then replacement transponder it is. I just want to try the simplest thing first as knowing me il probably break something else in the process of replacing that transponder.

[matt786]

Also found this now;Unfortunately unlike the earlier fords you can't reset your ECU the old way by disconnecting the battery supply you have to use an IDS system. Gutted!

• Like This

[matt786]

Ok,tried two different transceivers with same part number at breakers but same problem still exists. It seems something is not memorising the key information. What can i try next.

[matt786]

Anyone?

[Stoney871]

There's 4 parts to the immobiliser system- ECU, cluster, transponder chips in the keys and the transponder ring.

Could be any one of them or the wiring between the car mounted parts.

I'd suspect a bad earthing point or loose/damaged wiring.

[Stoney871]

Possible the garage damaged or disconnected something in the engine bay.

[matt786]

Which fault code scanner is suitable for my car which also gives a general description of the fault and not just another code. My car is

Ford Fiesta 2007 (facelift) 1.6 zetec tdci. I want to solve this issue myself. I spoke to the mechanic who serviced my car and he said he did not disconnect the battery or unplug and wires as he did not need to. If it was the chip in my keyfob then the spare key would have started the car normally. The key reader was swapped with two different ones with same part number but this displayed same issues. So like you said its now down to the cluster,ecu or wiring. I hope its not ecu or cluster as i think i would have to replace the whole set. Car sometimes starts normally if key held in position 1 for ten seconds then forward to position 2 and finally start. This is the only way i get around these days and i do a lot of town driving. I dont suppose the change from semi 5/30 to fully 5/30 would have messed the ecu would it. You can see im so desperate now.

[matt786]

Just remembered,when swapping the transceiver/keyreader to test if it will start the car,do you have to reprogramme the keys. My mechanics said i dont but guys at the breakers said i do.

[Stoney871]

The tranceiver is just an aerial which picks up the signal.

The ECU is what interprets the coding.

[jeebowhite]

If you want diagnostics at home get a modified elm cable and use forscan. By far the best option if you don't want to spend hundreds on an ids clone.

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[Stoney871]

A PDF file I have that you may find useful-

https://www.dropbox.com/s/conpkzkqx8kjh8u/focom-pats-info-en%282%29.pdf?dl=0

[matt786]

Thanks Stoney and Jeebowhite. Im going to shop around for the diagnostic thingy and consult the link . Something has been bugging me since i got the car and that is the driver electric window loses power while passenger side is ok. Dont worry this is not another topic but i think it could be related to the immobiliser issue i have. Now and again,the window switch is not lit up and thus the window will stay at whatever position its in as there is no power supply to it. On the day i bought the car i took it out in the evening with my son and had the window down. On arriving back home around 11pm,tried to put the window up then nothing. Ended up taping cardboard to the window and had a restless night. Next day opened the door panel/card to check wiring but could not get inner panel off and dint want to break anything. So put everything back together and drove around next few days with cardboard on the window like a prat. One day i looked down and the lights on the switch were on. It didn't take anyone to tell me what to do next. I pressed the switch up and up went the window. Sorted for now. I dint touch that switch for the next 3 days just in case however i noticed the switch illumination would go off and on by itself. After pondering on this for a few days i thought what if i opened the driver door fully and have a look at the wiring loom/harness that goes from the side of the dash and into the door. I did take a brief look at this when i tried to get the door panel off but dint notice anything untoward at that time. But now i noticed where the harness goes into the door,there's a rubber grommet and this was pushed into the door and probably allowing moisture in. I fixed the grommet in position with some difficulty and made sure the twisty thing on the other end was tight. I then gave the harness a tug towards myself and the lights in the switch came on. Seems like the wires are cut or loose in the loom tubing. So off came the cardboard and now when the power goes off in the driver window switch,i open the door and give the loom a tug and power to the window is restored so i can move it up and down. Im sure when other motorists see me doing this they think im having a puke up at the lights or whatever. I also have an issue which i recently found and that is the hazard lights wont turn off if i unlock the car without the remote key fob and the non remote key. I have to use the unlock button on the remote key fob to eventually unlock the car and the hazard light stop flashing then. So getting to the point about this being possibly related to the immobiliser issue. I googled and read the immobiliser is connected to the central locking,alarm and windows working in tandem. As i have a problem with the window loom as stated above i think this might be causing the hazards and immobiliser fault. Has anyone had this? Im tempted to go to the breakers and get a driver side window loom and try it but as this is my first ford i cant even take the inner door panel off to remove and feed the loom even after consulting the haynes. Think il experiment at the breakers on their car in case i break something on mine. Hope they dont mind. Im off work due to flue hence all the writing. :(

[matt786]

Just want to add that when the engine eventually starts after several attempts and immobiliser light goes off normally,if i keep the car key key in the position 2 (ignition on,no start) after turning off the engine,i can start the car as normal at anytime as long as i dont turn the key back to position 1 for more than 10 seconds. The same if i take the key fully out. As long as its done within 10 seconds,it starts. If im out and about and have to pop into shops,I have resorted to leaving the key in the ignition on position 2 and locking the car with the other key. I cover the cluster with paper so passer bys cant see the ignition on lights. When i get back to the car,i unlock it with the same key i locked it with and start the car with key that was left in the ignition. Its a bit risky but no choice at the moment. Why the 10 second rule? All really baffling to me.